Toy spring-gun



(No Model.)

GLEALSEY.

TOY SPRING GUN.-

No. 313,413. Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

WIYLIWESSES INVENTOR W 4 {fish-aw flwk .nttorney N, FEIERS. mbLm Q-u. mung 0.1:.

NITED PATENT tries.

TOY SPRING-GUN.

EPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,413, dated March 3, 1885. Application filed May 15, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ELsEY, of Springfield, county of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toy Guns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to toy guns, more particularly to the construction and arrangement of that class of toy guns known as the rubber-gun, or that kind of toy gun which derives its power from the elasticity of a rubber strap or cord to force its arrows or other projectiles forward.

The construction and arrangement of rubber straps in toy guns have heretofore been faulty in many respects, in that the strain on the rubber, together with the friction, is such that the cord or strap is liable to wear out quickly and become useless, or by a sudden stop at some point on the gun-stock it is in danger of shattering the stock or displacing the stops by the sudden jar, rendering the gun useless in a short time, or the construc tion has been such as to render the gun clumsy, and the similarity in appearance to an ordinary gun has been greatly lessened. My object is to do away with these objectionable features in the old style of toy gun, and produce a gun in which the rubber cord or strap is secure against any considerable wear from friction or strain and relieve the stops and stock of any sudden jar, and. to produce a gun both powerful, simple, effective, and light, and also to retain the similarity in appearance to an ordinary gun. This I do by the construction shown and described herein.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figures 1 and 2 are side views of my device. Fig. 3 is a perspective, and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views of parts separated from the stock.

The stock is of the usual construction, and is provided with a groove of sufficient depth to guide the projectile, a trigger, at, having a projection or hook, h, adapted to engage with the driver 6, is pivoted in the stock, as shown. The driver 6 is preferably of a shape to fit the groove, and is provided with a means of securing the driving-cord c to it. I prefer to do this by passing the cord through the driver near its center. The driver is adapted also to engage with the trigger. The simplest construction to accomplish this is to insert an ordinary screw-eye in the end, as shown. The driver 6 is recessed in its forward end to receive a shot or other projectile, and also to receive and support the stem of an arrow, i, so that it maybe thrown from the gun in a direct line parallel with the groove.

For the most accurate shooting, some point on the head of the arrow should be of the same diameter as the driver, thus giving two points to sight over. Stops f prevent the cord flying from the gun, while at the same time the pro jecting or driving cord operates as a cushion, gradually checking the motion of the projector, and thus avoiding the objectionable jar found in guns where the motion is suddenly stopped. I pass the driving-cord through the driver, and secure the ends at the forward end of the gun by inserting them in a hole and driving a tightly-fitting pin therein. The stopsf may of course consist of pins or projections, or other meansof checking the driver by retaining the cord or bringing the driver gradually to a stop by the same cord which propels it forward. Thesimplest construction is to pass the cord through screw-eyes placed in the stock, as shown. I

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents the gun with the driver in its normal position. Fig. 2 represents the driver drawn back ready to be released by the trigger; and Fig. 3 is a perspective with the arrow in position.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction shown, though I prefer it.

I am aware that drivers for following the groove or gutter made for the arrows have been used in connection with toy guns previous to this, but not in the manner described by me, but have been held in the arrow-groove by means of slots and pins or dovetail arrangements, necessitating other grooves or mortises than the arrow-groove. Consequently, the effect of their operation is not the same, and they must come to stop when reaching the ends of those grooves. Not so with my device, as the driver is free to run in the arrowgroove, being independent of other grooves or stops, receiving from the elastic cord or strap both force and momentum, and the recoil from the end of the arrow-groove back to the normal position produces no jar whatever, and

the cord being raised above the sides of the groove is saved from wear by friction on the stock or barrel.

I am aware that a toy gun has heretofore been made having a cross-bar at or near the muzzle end, and having a cross-bar attached to a projector, which cross-bars extend some distance from the stock upon each side, and to the ends upon each of which are attached elastic cords, and that a cushioned stop and recessed driver have heretofore been used, all as shown in United States Letters Patent N 0. 267,679, dated November 21,1882, and I claim nothing shown therein. In this the projecting cross-pieces render the gun clumsy, take up a great deal of room, and detract much from its similarity in appearance to an ordinary gun. In my device the elastic cord is held close or very near to the stock or barrel, and by extending from the muzzle back through the stops f the elasticity of acomparatively long piece of elastic cord maybe used, while the forward motion of the projector or driver is gradually checked after passing the stops f by the action of the propelling-cord. The recess or hole in the forward endof my driver differs from that shown in said patent in that the same is inclosed, except at the forward end of the driver.

I am aware that it is not new with me to apply elastics to a projector, nor to stop the projector short of the muzzle end of the gun or tube; and I am aware, also, that a toy gun has heretofore been made having a hollow body, a slot opening into a groove on the upper part, and a projector having a'shank to travel in the groove and slot, the shank being attached to the elastics in the hollow body, and a stoppin set across the interior of the hollow body near the muzzle and above the elastics to gradually stop the progress of the projector and preserve the springs.

It will readily be seen that the advantage derived from my stop mechanism may be attained without the use of any particular driver, and I do not limit myself to the use with the driver shown.

Very many modifications in the construction may be made without departing from my invention.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a spring-gun, the body formed with a groove in its upper surface, a projector adapted to travel in said groove, and a contractile rubber spring fixed to the muzzle end of the body and to the projector, in combination with stationary guides or stops exteriorly projecting from the sides of the body near the muzzle end, and adapted to bear upon the spring,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a spring-gun, the body formed with a groove in the upper surface and provided with stationary guidc-stops projecting from the sides of the body, a projector provided with a trigger loop or catch in the rear and adapted to travel in said groove, a contractile spring fixed to the muzzle end of the body and fastened to the projector and passed through or around the stationary stops on'the sides of I the body, in combination with a trigger formed to engage the trigger-catch on the projector,

substantially as described, and for the purpose I stated.

3. In a spring-gun, the body, the contractile spring thereof, and the projector fixed to the contractile spring and traveling in a groove formed in the upper surface of the body, in combination with stationary guide-stops fixed in and projecting exteriorl-y from the sides of the body and bearing on the strands of the contractile spring, whereby the progress of the projector is gradually retarded, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE ELSE Y. \Vitnesses:

E. B. BARTON, ALLEN W nnsrn a. 

